This invention relates generally to a transaction terminal, and specifically to a protective cover assembly for a transaction terminal having a signature capture pad.
Transaction terminals are finding wider use at the point of sale in the retail store industry. Many of these terminals have card readers for rapidly acquiring credit card and customer related data. Typically, the card is simply drawn through a slot in the terminal and the related data applied to a microprocessor so that the customer can be identified and a sales slip generated. As part of the transaction terminal, a signature capture pad is also provided upon which the customer can write his or her name and the signature is electronically recorded.
The capture pad used in many transaction terminals typically includes a rectangular glass substrate that is separated from a deformable polyester cover sheet by relatively small non conductive spheres. The opposing surfaces of the substrate and cover sheet are coated with a conductive material and the coatings, in turn, are connected to lead lines that surround the outer periphery of the capture pad. The lead lines are connected to an x-y register which is arranged to record the signature data and forward this information on to the terminal processor. In practice, the customer places his or her signature on the capture pad using a plastic stylus, the point of which forces the conductive coating of the outer panel into contact with the conductive coating of the underlying substrate to trace the signature electronically. Many customers using the terminal ignore the plastic stylus and attempt to write directly upon the capture pad with a writing instrument such as a ball point pen. This rapidly degrades the capture pad and destroys the usability of the terminal. Writing directly upon the capture pad with a plastic stylus will also eventually wear down the relatively thin upper panel again rendering the pad no longer usable.
To prevent the capture pad from prematurely failing, replaceable screens have been devised which protect the pad from direct contact with the stylus as well as potentially harmful writing instruments. The screen is adapted to cover the capture pad and typically is mounted within a frame that surrounds the screen. An adhesive backing is placed upon the bottom surface of the frame that permits the panel to be removably attached to the terminal housing about the capture pad. These protective coverings, for the most part, work well under normal operating conditions. However, more and more terminals are being placed in areas where they are exposed to moisture and high levels of dust and dirt such as home improvement stores, garden centers, and the like. Oftentimes, a clerk will remove a protective panel from the terminal and fail to replace it for a long period of time during which dirt and moisture can find its way into the electronic components causing a good deal of damage. Removal of the protective cover also allows customers to write upon the capture pad with potentially harmful instruments. Many of these protective covers are difficult to align over the capture pad and do little to protect the electronic lead line from physical damage. In addition, the adhesive bonding the protective cover to the terminal generally forms a weak bond that is neither moisture proof or dirt proof and, as a result, contaminants can penetrate the cover and cause harm to the terminal components.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to improve transaction terminals.
It is a further object of the present invention to protect the signature capture pad of a transaction terminal and its related electronic components from harm.
A still further object of the present invention is to create a cover system to improve the protection afforded the signature capture pad of a transaction terminal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a warning to the user of a transaction terminal when the protective cover for the terminal signature capture pad is removed from the terminal.
Yet another object of the present invention is to extend the usable life of a signature capture pad utilized in a transaction terminal.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by a transaction terminal that includes a cover assembly for protecting the terminal""s signature capture for electronically recording a customer""s signature and the pad""s associated electrical components from harm. The cover assembly includes a first lower cover panel that surrounds the capture pad and covers electrical lead lines that carry signature data to a register or memory located within the terminal housing. The first cover panel is bonded to the housing to create a moisture and dirt tight seal therebetween, as well as physically protecting the electrical lead lines. A second upper cover panel is placed over the lower cover panel which includes a frame and a protective window mounted inside the frame that overlies and is in close proximity with the underlying portion of the capture pad so that a signature written upon the window will be recorded upon the capture pad. The lower surface of the upper cover panel contains an adhesive that allows the top cover panel to be removably attached to the lower cover panel whereby the upper cover panel can be easily removed and replaced when the window becomes worn or damaged. A warning message is printed upon the top surface of the lower panel which is clearly discernable when the upper cover panel is removed, warning the user not to write upon the capture pad until the upper cover is replaced.